LA Auto Club Predicts Record Travel for Labor Day Weekend Despite Record Gas Prices

LOS ANGELES--Aug. 2, 20037, 2003--This Labor Day weekend is expected to be the busiest for travelers in recent years, with an estimated 4.77 million Californians and 3 million Southern Californians taking holiday trips, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

That's about a 1.7 percent increase from last year, when 4.7 million Californians and 2.9 million Southern Californians drove, flew, cruised or rode to holiday destinations of 50 miles or more.

"State gas prices are averaging well above $2 a gallon, but we've found during past holidays that high gas costs don't necessarily mean a cutback in travel," said Carol Thorp, Auto Club spokeswoman. "The cost of gas typically makes up a small portion of the total cost of a getaway -- a California family of four will pay on average $200 to $250 a day just for food and lodging."

For a 500-mile trip in a car getting 20 miles to the gallon, the cost of gas at $2.10 a gallon is $52.50, while the same trip would cost $37.50 if gas was priced at $1.50 a gallon. That's an increase of $15 in the total gas cost.

Southern California travelers plan to stay fairly close to home this holiday weekend. The majority -- 79 percent, or 2.34 million, will drive to their destinations, compared to 2.3 million holiday drivers last year. About 480,000 Southern Californians are expected to fly this weekend and 148,000 will take a bus, train or ship. Statewide, 3.8 million travelers are expected to drive, 770,000 will fly and 238,000 will use other modes of travel.

The most popular destinations for Southern Californians, according to a survey of AAA Travel agencies, are:

1. San Diego

2. Las Vegas

3. Central Coast Beaches (Santa Barbara to Monterey)

4. Grand Canyon

5. San Francisco

With gas prices at or near record highs in many of these destinations, motorists can save money by looking for cheaper gas along the way, Thorp said. For example, travelers to or from San Diego, where gas prices averaged $2.164 a gallon as of 12:01 a.m. today, could instead fill up in Orange County, where the average price was $2.105. Southern California travelers to Las Vegas can get relatively cheaper gas there -- the average was $1.936 as of 12:01 a.m. today.